2011 Year in Review: Center Store's Prescription for Health

Food retailers continued to home in on health and wellness in 2011 by making nutrition rating systems available to all.

Shoppers filling a prescription in-store may have also noticed food merchandised in pharmacy as supermarkets paired food suggestions with specific disease states. In an even more personalized show of service, Bashas’ began printing customized food recommendations on the backs of prescription advisory sheets.

2011 may also be remembered as The Year of the Coupon. Redemption rates were on the rise, due in part to the “Extreme Couponing” reality show. But as viewers learned to match manufacturer coupons with items already on sale, Publix and Kroger set limits on the number of coupons that could be used in a single transaction.

Chains also presented shoppers with new ways to save. Big Y launched a fee-based loyalty club and the first Groupon deal and Safeway matched deals offered by competitors. Meanwhile, Stop & Shop went futuristic with its Scan It! mobile app, which rewards consumers for scanning groceries with personalized offers based on purchase history and location in the store.

Private label was also synonymous with savings, and not just for consumers. Retailers aimed to make the most of profits by consolidating banner brands under umbrella labels like Supervalu’s Everyday Essentials. A flair for promotion was also displayed during store-brand events like Safeway’s World’s Longest Picnic Table gathering.